I just bought the machine as a exchange against a Philips DVP 630 (same peculiarity). I'm having problem playing DVD-R Video, they stop after, usually, 30-40 minutes playback with jitter first and then a freeze frame. DVD+R DL Video are not understood either "No Disk" on the display (the DVP 630 play them with no problem). All my disks play fine on my old trusty Philips 630 -by the way- I checked revision / firmware and I've the latest... any ideas?

If you can get your discs (DVD-R, DVD+R DL) to play on other DVD-Player, then that will help to clarify the problem.

For DVD-R media, although most of the DVD-Players are able to read them, but in some cases, the problem is due to writing quality. Which means, you might have a bad burned on your disc, bad media or bad burner.

For DVD+R DL disc, you need to make sure if it has been doen with bitsetting (Book Type set to DVD-ROM).

Most of DVD-Player can not recognize DVD+R DL media, then you will get the result as "No Disk"....

I did the DL using Toast 6.0.7 in UDF Format like I do with Single Layer. I had one or two disks I did with DVD Decrypter / DVD Shrink on PC, I'll try your suggestion (didn't work on the DVP 630). This problem is really bugging me because I nonetheless consider the DVP 720 a major improvement over my old 625 otherwise [:)]

If I were you I would flash the NEC with a hacked firmware capable for booktype change. I don't now if this can be done on a Mac. However your problems with DL media would have been disappear with booktype set as DVD-ROM.

As for the DVD-R media everything in this format has problems or just a few media?